The Bad with a Sane Mission: Venator Collegium
by LawsonTR01
Summary: The Apocalypse is fast approaching and the hunters know that they're outmatched. If Hell's spawns find themselves Earth-bound, everything's going to go under. So what better way to make a stand than to train and recruit new blood?   AU Season 4
1. PROLOGUE

**A.N: This is the first installment of what's going to be a continuous story (lasting about 10 - 20 chapters)**. **It takes place during Season 4** **in a somewhat AU world where hunters reacted a little differently to the idea of the Apocalypse coming to pass and how they were going to deal with it. You'll find many characters and scenario's are different from the show - but ultimately - I try to keep them close to character. So please enjoy and review! I'm very much interested in readers feelings and hopefully interest in the novel.**

**_I obviously do not own Supernatural._**

_PROLOGUE;_

"_Hunting's not hard. Really it's just a whole lot'a trial an' error. If the Winchester boy's can do it, anyone can. Hell – I'm not gonna' deny they turned into some well-an-good hunters, but without John's knowledge; those two'd have been dead in the water long before they stumbled across me. They didn't know how to put John's theory into practice – so they tried and they tried some more. Just like I said; trial an' error all the way through." Bobby's lips pulled tight together, the shadow from the poorly lit room crossing just under the brim of his hat and ensuring that his eyes were barely visible. "The hard part of huntin' is the aftermath. Dealin' with all the crap you could've done – the people you let down and whatnot." A deep breath was drawn in and immediately expelled through his mouth; parting from it's tightly pulled form._

"_That's what breaks people. That's what singles out the good hunters from the hunters who just can't. That's not sayin' their bad people or anythin'; rather the opposite. Good people can't hunt. Hunters are just bad, crazy-ass people on a good, decent mission." Bobby spoke, his voice drawing more soft though stern nonetheless. Clearing his throat, Bobby adjusted himself in his seat and his eyes panned out across the top of the peering young eyes sitting before him in the church-like setup of the hall._

"_That's why we started this place. This school. To pick out the good from the bad with a sane mission. We need hunters – and God knows this isn't somethin' I wanted to do – but if we wanna' outlast this damn Apocalypse; we need new blood. You are it ladies and gents." Mr. Singer's eyes tracked along the crowd some more. "Trial an' error's no longer gonna' do. You boys and girl's need'a be trained how to put theory to practice – and that's exactly what we're gonna' do here."_

"_Welcome to Venator Collegium."_


	2. Chapter 1 PULLING GOOD FROM THE BAD

**A.N: This is the first installment of what's going to be a continuous story (lasting about 10 - 20 chapters)**. **It takes place during Season 4** **in a somewhat AU world where hunters reacted a little differently to the idea of the Apocalypse coming to pass and how they were going to deal with it. You'll find many characters and scenario's are different from the show - but ultimately - I try to keep them close to character. So please enjoy and review! I'm very much interested in readers feelings and hopefully interest in the novel.**

_**I obviously do not own Supernatural.** _

**CHAPTER ONE – PULLING GOOD FROM THE BAD (on a decent mission)**

Rain pelted against the rooftops of the dormitories and no matter how much Adam tried to sleep, he couldn't. Sam and Dean were his brothers and they were out with the _actual _hunters – making a difference; saving lives. They were out in the battlefield, stopping god-knows what from destroying the world as civilians all around the world knew it to be. People like Adam. Or at least like what Adam used to be. He'd led a normal life up until he'd been suck out and found by his two half-brothers; told he was needed for something. Something more than he could ever be prepared for – but something he needed to be apart of no-less. And here he was, sitting in at Venator Collegium – an academy raised by some of the greatest hunters known to the world in the middle of nowhere. An academy forged for one purpose; to mass produce the finest hunters ever seen in a matter of seven months. Hell had its army, but Earth – it was falling short of anywhere near enough to stand a fighting chance against Hell if the Apocalypse came to pass. There was no room for error anymore. Action needed to be taken and so the hunting community had met at a central roadhouse. There they'd decided to create this academy or school of sorts to raise young hunters; give them the skills they needed and unleashed a fight that Hell would have never expected. A fight that Lucifer himself would've been taken by. Though, the ethical issues stood out. Putting kids as young as fifteen with a sawn-off-shotgun and telling them that their life from here on out was killing the demons mommy and daddy told them weren't real? It was a harsh wake up call – but it had nothing on what was to come. All of the thoughts rushed him each night and Adam Milligan was never at peace. He hadn't had a good night sleep since he'd arrived here. The crap that he'd learned in a matter of days was immensely disturbing, let alone what months would and could do. He was being mentored by his two brothers, an old drunk and seemingly veteran hunter along with a whole bunch of other hopeful hunters. A force of genius, brute and excellence. If Adam was going to learn how to hunt – this was exactly how he was going to do it. Sitting up in his bed and shooting a glance over at the bed opposite him, the youthful hunter let out a low-pitched whistle.

"Hey!" he called. "Ben – you awake?"

A small figure sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I am now, Adam. What's up?"

The boy had a round face and his hair was a dark brown, spiked in a similar fashion to the way Dean wore his. He had solid colored eyes and a more youthful face than any of the other hunters in the school. Ben was the youngest. He was Dean's boy; or step-son. Dean had made sure he was enrolled in the school right away. There was no way in hell that a Winchester was going to have his son unprepared when all hell broke loose. Though one thing dawned on everyone's mind. Ben wasn't ready for this. He was too young – and – to most, appeared too good for this line of work. He wasn't a bad person on a sane or realistic mission. He was an innocent kid, hoping that he didn't have to execute the arsenal of skills being taught to him. He just wanted to be a kid; nothing more, nothing less.

"Uh- it's nothing. Sorry I woke you." The older boy apologized, pulling a hand through his blond-brown hair, his blue eyes breaking through the darkness.

"No, it's okay. Come on. Tell me?"

"I've been thinking again." Adam responded after a pause. "About everything – about what's to come. About how you shouldn't be here, Benny."

"You've gotta' stop thinking about it. Just take it as the days go by, I guess? That's what I do. Besides; it's not our choice if I'm here or not – and someone's got to keep you sane, right?" Ben chuckled back, pulling the blankets off of him. "Dean's put me here for a reason; we've just got to trust that."

Adam nodded along. "I guess." He lipped. "I just can't help but feel like this is wrong. When I was your age I was running around pretending to enjoy baseball games when my dad decided to visit on the rare occasion here and there – and you – you're being told you're gonna' have to face the devil." Adam's voice stayed firm even despite how much he felt it trying to tremble.

"So what? My childhoods going to be more interesting than yours? You jealous or something?" Ben shot back cheekily, putting his step-fathers smile across his lips.

Adam couldn't help but chuckle back. "That's exactly it, man." Adam smiled back half-heartedly.

"You always know what to say, Benny. Put my mind at ease every time." Adam nodded honestly, his eyes snapping away abruptly when he heard the sound of a Chevy pulling up at the gate of the school. Bounding off his bed and racing for the window, Adam took a look towards the entrance. Sam and Dean were back from their hunt. Every instinct told Adam to race down stairs to the gate and make sure that they were okay; but logic told him otherwise. Most of the hunters said to trust your instincts, but Bobby always said to trust both. Put them together and rationalize. That's what Adam was going to go with. And so he thought and he felt and by the time he'd finished it all, the Chevy had vanished from the gate and tracked across the moist, muddy terrain and into its special assigned garage. Stepping his bare feet across the unkempt wooden floor, the young hunter pulled himself back into his bed and heaved in a sigh.

"Sam and Dean are back." He lipped back to Ben.

"That's some good news at least." Ben smile back positively.

* * *

><p>"This is bullshit, Sam!" Dean cussed furiously as he pulsed quickly down the hallways, his legs carrying him as fast as they possibly could. "We got out hunting a demon and we get told that there's only three god-damn-seals left?" Dean snapped. "Are you kidding me!"<p>

Sam did his best to keep in step with his brother; his longer legs making the task a little less difficult. But Dean was a man on a mission. His mind was set on one thing, and one thing only; letting Bobby and Rufus know exactly what the hell was going on out on the frontline.

"Dean." Sam struggled, trying to grab at his brother to stop him from simply barging into Bobby's quarters. "Dean stop!" Sam pushed, cornering his brother between a wall and himself. "What's wrong with you? You need to calm down. This is a good thing. At least now we know where the demons stand and we can get our act together and prevent the final seals from being broken. We're finally in step with the demons, and you're acting like it's already the end of the world!" Sam retorted; optimism seeping into his words.

"Oh, whoop-di-freakin'-do. You can be as optimistic as you want, Sam – but at the end of the day – three seals is a hell of a lot closer to the end of the world than seven!" Dean snapped back once more, forcing his hands into Sam's chest and parting the distance between him and his brother. He was back on his path towards Bobbys, but it wasn't long before Dean was whipped right back around by Sam's firm hand.

"Stop this crap, Dean!" Sam charged once more, stopping Dean right in front of him and forcing his older brother to face off with him. There was no denying that Sam knew exactly why Dean was this was. The whole Ruby thing. The whole Ruby thing that Sam had turned his back on because Dean had asked him to. But apparently that wasn't enough. Apparently the very idea of trusting a demon was too much for Dean to comprehend, and those few months that Sam had been working in hand with an evil son-of-a-bitch, he'd apparently assisted in the breaking of a few seals.

"Why don't you just have at me, Dean? We both know you need someone to blame – so here – plant one right here." Sam instructed, signalling towards his chin. "Come on!" his thunderous tone broke through the hallway and the sound of a creaking old door opening made the brothers fall silent. Bobby's tired eyes appeared from behind it and a brief silhouette of Rufus could be seen in the background.

"You boys get your asses in here. Causin' a right bloody shit-storm out in that hallway." Bobby signalled, opening the door wider as the two un-eased brothers made their way over. Shutting the door behind them, Bobby made his way to his desk, plodding his old body into it and pulling out four whisky glasses. Pouring his Johnny Walker: Blue Label into each, Bobby offered the drinks up to his company.

"Drink – then we'll talk." The headmaster-of-sorts uttered, downing his fiery and yet smooth liquor. Rufus did much the same, and his dark brown eyes tracked back over to Sam and Dean who followed in suit.

"So, how'd the hunt go? Gathering by the fuss you two idiots caused in the hall – I'm gonna' say not so crash hot?" Rufus spat, pulling his lips tight as he felt the liquor race through his throat. Nothing better than some Johnny Walker when the Apocalypse was on its way to bite you in the ass.

A exchanging of glances occurred between the two brothers and they shot a look over to Bobby and Rufus.

"Actually," Dean began. "According to Sammy here, it went pretty pitch-perfect." Dean winked sarcastically, placing his class onto Bobby's table.

"According to Sam?" Bobby repeated, narrowing his eyes uncertainly. "What d'you mean 'according to Sam'? You're both bloody hunters; a kills a kill in the book. There's no god-damn in-betweens here, boy!" the old trucker-cap shot.

"Well, apparently there is." Dean spoke suddenly back, looking over at Sam and giving him an encouraging wave. "Well come on, Sam. Fill 'em in. No need keeping them in suspense like it's some sort of _M. Night Shyamalan_ movie."

Sam pulled a wary face, and he eyed the two elderly hunters off before speaking. Bobby was going to probably react the same way Sam had – but Rufus. He was a hunter that followed Dean's mind set a little more closely.

"The demon we killed…. It… it told us something." Sam began.

"Spit it out there, Sam." Rufus piped.

"It told us…. There aren't seven seals left. There are three." He spoke lowly.

"Well I'll be damned." Rufus smirked. "Ellen and Jo were right."

Confusion flashed over the Winchester's faces but Bobby and Rufus both seemed well and truly informed.

"We knew." Bobby spoke up. "Ellen and Jo dropped by not an hour ago – told us the same thin'. Apparently the demons are gettin' well on their way to raising hell-bitches left, right and center." Bobby spoke, watching Dean and Sam carefully.

"Bobby and I've decided to get a hunting party. The best students with the teachers – stop these last three seals from being broken. Otherwise, this hell raising thing; it's gonna' come a lot sooner than we were expecting – and we're just not ready yet." Rufus nodded, pouring himself another glass of Johnny Walker.

"Okay. So that was a lot different to how I expected everyone to react, but what the hell!" Dean smiled awkwardly, grinning his stupid 'look at me, I'm funny' face.

Taking a final swig of his newly poured liquor, Rufus leaned against Bobby's desk and used it as a comfort to his behind.

"We leave tomorrow; bright and early. Classes will roll as usual with some hunters filling in for you and your brother; so lore and weapons class is gonna' be covered by some of the young guys." Rufus informed simply.

"And the hunting parties? What are they?" Dean and Sam spoke, finishing one another's sentences.

"Keith Harmsworth, Dale Crawford and Adam Milligan." Bobby spoke up, reading off of the list in front of him.

"Well, looks like Adam's got his wish after all then, huh, Sammy? Get's to hunt with the big boys." Dean was unpleased and his sarcasm showed it. These kids weren't ready – but Bobby knew best and that's just what he had to trust in.


	3. Chapter 2 FROM SEVEN TO THREE

**A/N: The next part of the story! Please enjoy. Reviews would be much appreciated for both this chapter and the chapter before. They do help with the strive to continue writing and whatnot, and furthermore, are very much welcome to see how you as the audience see the story! Thanks again for the support.**

**CHAPTER TWO – FROM SEVEN TO THREE (a sudden depletion)**

The sun had barely broke through the darkness of the present morning but Sam, Dean, Bobby, Rufus and the youthful hunting party that had been selected last night were already awake. The senior hunters were nowhere to be seen yet, however, the youthful likes of Adam, Dale and Keith were crowding in the hallway at the front of a large iron plated door. The hallways were still cold and the poorly fixed windows were allowing the cold fog to creep into the academy's innards. The poor lighting helped little to navigate through the halls also – and hence – the idea that the young hunters were standing still and awaiting one of the more senior hunters to arrive and part the door to bid them welcome was a welcomed thought. Adam's hands were pocketed and his shoulders rolled forward to try and keep the cruel fog away from his bare skin, while the other two hunting students did much the same.

"We shouldn't even be here." Keith growled. "We should've been pulled out of bed when they were ready for us – not before!" his voice was raspy and his tired eyes closed over for a moment.

"Calm down." Adam spoke up, his voice mellow and controlled. "I'm sure they'll be here in a minute."

A careless shrug was offered back towards the young Milligan-Winchester and the youngster thought nothing of it. Keith had always been one with a short temper; he had that typical hunter outlook on things. Apparently the world had to rotate around him for everything to be peachy and acceptable.

Though it was in the moment of thought that the sound of locks unlatching from behind the solid plated door that the hunters all stopped their attempt to keep warm. Their eyes snapped to the light that beamed out when the door was opened and the clear outline of a tall male was seen; Sam.

"Alright. Come on in guys." Sam smiled welcomingly, pulling the door completely open and allowing the students to file in. In a reasonably orderly fashion, the young hunters made their way down a long hall and rounded a corner, passing through a distinct archway and stopping at a large table. Around the table were a series of seats, some of which were occupied. Dean, Rufus and Bobby were all present and Sam eventually found his way into the room and took his seat besides his brother. The room had always been the main meeting facility for the senior hunters of the school. It was where the fully fledged and battle-ready individuals that taught at Venator Collegium came to out their ideas on how to deal with the Apocalypse – and furthermore – to discuss ways to stop it from coming to pass. There was a silence as the older hunters exchanged looks and the younger hunters pondered on whether to sit or not. Their worries were set aside when Bobby piped up.

"Sit down, ya' idjits."

And so they did.

"Welcome to the Hunters spire." Rufus spoke outward, his hands clasping together and resting in front of him on the tables surface. "Now I'm guessing you boys wanna' know why you're up so early – so I'm not gonna' keep you in suspense any longer." Rufus worded briefly.

"You three have been specially selected from the academy's students as the senior representatives of the learning body's ranks. Now don't get a big head about it; you're here to make up numbers. You're here to help Sam and Dean; not to go free-lancing out there on your lonesome. Am I understood?" the dark-eyed hunter lipped, his eyes making sure to stay trained on the youngsters before him.

With a nod, Rufus' suspicions on whether the hunters were listening were put at ease.

"Good." He nodded. "Bobby – why don't you fill them in?"

Taking a swig of his whisky, Bobby leaned up in his chair and took a glance over at the boys gathered.

"Alright then." He began. "Now, accordin' to Ellen and Jo – as well as the boys here – the seven seals we thought were still in tact, simply aren't. There are three remainin' and so we need'a get our asses in gear." Bobby spoke steadily. "Now – the first seal we've been able to decipher is goin' down in a small town just off from here. Apparently it involves the murder of six holy-men, and six holy-women. You boys need'a stop it." Bobby put simply, shrugging his shoulders.

"This is gonna' be your chance to shine boys and girls." Dean abruptly spoke after Bobby. "But if anyone of you think you can't play nicely as a team – now's the time to say so. We don't need three heroes giving it their all for some selfish goal and getting themselves killed."

"What Dean's saying is," Sam quickly added "that we can't have people going it solo out there. We're a team – so we need to act like one; otherwise we're not going to stop the seal from being broken."

The three boys nodded their heads and Adam leaned forward in his seat. "I don't think that'll be a problem." He spoke honestly with a smile; just pleased at the idea of being given a chance at all of this.

"I'm with Adam. I'm good." Dale grinned back.

"Yeah – I can do teamwork." Keith spoke back, less enthusiastically – but enough to pass for a confirming 'let's do this'.

"Okay then." Dean nodded, eyeing Keith up uncertainly. "Well – remember – utilize what you know out there. If you don't know something – ask. Don't go making up your own damn mind."

"Well okay then. You youngsters go pack your things. Meet at the gate in half-an-hour; then you're off." Rufus informed, standing from his seat and giving the young boys a shooing hand.

Just like that, the three youth's rose up out of their seats and retreated for the door, vanishing out into the hallways to tend to their things. The sound of fluttering wings and a sudden wind echoed through the room, and all eyes turned to the source. A trench coat wearing man with indulgent and welcoming, pool-like blue eyes; it was Castiel.

"Cas." Dean nodded in acknowledgement.

"Dean, Sam, Rufus, Bobby." Castiel spoke in his monotone voice. "I've just returned from your imminent destination. The demon there is extremely powerful – almost as powerful as Lilith herself."

"I'm sorry? You tip us off that we're going to go head to head with a demon that has near as much mojo as the head-bitch-in-charge, not half an hour before we need to leave!" Dean snorted back aggravated. "Are you high, Cas!"

"No. In fact, I'm much more grounded than most of the time. Usually I'm beyond time and space." Castiel answered matter-of-factually; his clear uncertainty for the human tongue perpetuated by his naivety.

Dean shrugged it off.

"Okay then, Cas. How do we deal with this demon then?"

"I do not know. From my understanding…. No weapon on the face of this Earth is capable of defeating him." Castiel tried to sound sorrowful.

"Oh, well that's just peachy!" Dean shot back sarcastically while Bobby and the others looked on.

"So hang on a second here cupid. You're telling us that we can't beat this demon and can't stop a seal from being broken?" Rufus' stern voice broke the cold tension that had been building in the air.

"I'm telling you that no weapon on Earth can defeat it." Castiel lipped back.

"So…. Is that a yes?" Rufus uttered impatiently back. Though before Castiel could answer, Sam stepped forward.

"What about the colt? That could work right?"

"Of course." Castiel nodded. "It was of my understanding that you no longer have it."

"Well…. We don't. But we could try and get it back, right?" Sam tried.

"No. There is no time. The demon has already killed six holy women; the men are all that remain."

"Wait, wait, wait." Dean spoke back thoughtfully. "What about Ruby's dagger? Would that work?"  
>"Possibly." Castiel spoke.<p>

"Well we have that. Let's give that a try? If I'm gonna' die by he-bitch of the damned, I'm gonna' die with at least a part chance of killing him." Dean grinned.

"Very well. Tell me of how this mission goes when you return. If you die, I will know." Castiel spoke blandly.

"Hey, hey! You're not coming with us?" the older of the Winchester brothers raised a brow.

"No. I have business to tend to where I am _high._" And with that, Castiel vanished into nothingness and the sound of wings fluttering and window blowing filled the room once more.

"Good luck, boys." Bobby offered. "Sounds like you're gonna' need it."

...

Hands quickly searching through the things he had folded at the end of his bed, Adam quickly packed a jumper and a spare pair of pants into his carry bag. The sound of him ruffling through the items around him was bound to wake someone up and of course, of all those that could've been awaken; Ben was the person that's eyes fluttered open. The youngster leaned up in his bed and was caught off guard by the sun light beaming in through the windows. Taking shelter behind his open hand, Ben took a glance over at the older student and offered him a half-hearted smile.

"Adam?"

"Benny! Hey!" Adam smiled. "Guess who's going on a hunt with the Winchester brothers?"

"You?" Ben added obviously. "That's awesome!"

"I know." Adam could hardly compose himself, and plotting a sentence any longer than the ones he'd been spewing out would've been impossible.

"Make sure you're careful, okay? I mean – we both know you've learned off some of the best, but this is the first time you're going to be using the skills we learn here." Ben nodded honestly.

"I'll be fine, dude. By the time the day's through – we'll be back and I'll have an awesome story to tell you." Adam spoke back finally, packing the final things in his bag and zipping it up before latching it over his shoulder.

"I'll see you later, bud." Adam winked, heading for the door.

"Just remember; be careful!" Ben called out. "This place'll be boring without you."

...

Dean and Sam were already waiting by the Chevy at the gate. Sam was sitting on top of the bonnet for the Impala while Dean tended to cleaning his sawn-off. Dale and Keith seemingly appeared at the same time Adam did; all falling into a line as they approached the gate where they'd be loaded into a vehicle and heading off on their way to face their first demon. A demon that, until now, was believed to be a typical, fearless bastard who was nothing above the norm. Dropping their bags on the ground, Adam, Keith and Dale stopped and looked on at the hunters. Sam offered them a friendly smile and Dean, an uncertain glance.

"So we got some more information on the hunt." Sam stated.

"And?" Keith quickly jumped.

"And." Sam began with a pointed look, "The demon we're dealing with isn't your typical demon. It's strong. Really strong. Fact of the matter is – bullets and holy water aren't gonna' work on it. We're using this." Sam spoke, drawing Ruby's dagger; tucked into the back of his pants. "From what we know, this is the only actual thing we have that may kill it."

"And that's a big stress on the 'may'!" Dean called from behind the Chevy where he threw his shotgun back into the trunk and closed it. "Fact of the matter is; we really don't know what we're in for here."

"So we're going in half-armed?" Adam broke uneasily.

"Who gives a damn? We got a chance at killing this demon, let's take it!" Keith called with a broad smile. "We'll find a way; we always do."

"Keith…." Dale's voice crept back. "Adam's kind of right. If this demon is as powerful as it's being made out to be – we need to be properly prepared. That's what Bobby's always trying to drill into our heads."

"Half-assed is the best we've got right now." Dean called out. "As much as we don't like it, we don't have much of a choice if we won't to keep the Apocalypse a good few months away from coming along." Folding his arms and advancing forwards, the hunter offered the youngsters a quick look over. "If any of you wanna' pull out; now's the time."

But no one faltered.


End file.
